1. Field of the Invention
The present application concerns a process for decorating the top portion of the ski. The word "ski" is used herein in a broad sense, and it includes, e.g., the alpine ski, crosscountry ski, mono-ski and snowboard.
2. Discussion of Background and Material Information
It is required for the upper surface of a ski to have a certain number of characteristics: various aesthetic markings and motifs, the trademark or brand, identification of the ski model, indications relative to the size or mounting of the bindings, and others. Ever increasing in number, these distinctive signs and aesthetic elements must be easily distinguished from one another. The enhancement of the decoration by creating new and attractive effects is an increasingly important concern for material manufacturers. Of course, stresses due to the utilization of skis, especially stresses due to the resistance of the surface and decoration to mechanical shocks and physical contact with running edges of other skis, of the ski pole and physicochemical affects (temperature, ultraviolet light, solvents, humidity) must be taken into account.
Moreover, the interchangability of decorations from one model to another and from one year to another must be quick and economical. Thus, models from the same line often have motifs or markings in common, and others that are distinctive. On account of the growing number of models of the various manufacturers, management of the decoration and markings is increasingly burdensome, complex and expensive.
Known methods for decorating or marking the upper surface of the ski generally made of a plastic material, include printing means such as, silk screen printing, sublimation, heat marking or tampography.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-154586 describes a process for decorating a ski by silk screening. The purpose of such process is to print letters or motifs by using a high surface tension ink in order to obtain drawings or projecting letters on the ski. A disadvantage of this type of decoration is its poor resistance to wear and a short-lived aesthetic effect.
Applicant's French Patent Publication No. 2,620,975 describes a sublimation decorating process which includes transferring sublimable inks from a decorative motif onto the external surface of an opaque monolayer contrast sheet; then assembling the monolayer sheet with the rest of the ski by heat adhesion.
French Patent Publication No. 2,387,793 describes a sublimation transfer process of a sublimable coloring agent in a transparent layer affixed to a layer of a binding agent containing a pigment.
French Patent Publication No. 2,620,974 concerns a decorating process using a bi-layer sheet; one of the layers being transparent, the other layer being opaque. The transfer is undertaken by sublimation onto the external surface of the opaque layer. The bi-layer thus is then assembled with the ski by applying the external opaque surface side onto the upper surface of the body of the ski.
French Patent Publication No. 2,580,943 concerns marking a formed ski. To this end, the marking is performed on a planar sheet of translucent material. The sheet is formed and attached to the surface of the ski such that the marking is located on the side of the sheet in contact with the upper surface of the ski. The marking is thus protected against external physical sources of contact.
French Patent Publication No. 2,596,286 pertains to a protection element of a ski, comprising two, chemically different layers assembled with one another. The internal opaque layer is soft and adapted for adhering, while the external transparent layer is rigid. The decoration can be printed by sublimation or silk screening onto the lower surface of the flexible layer.
French Patent Publication No. 2,421,071 concerns an embodiment of the upper surfaces of the ski, which consists of serigraphically/silk screen printing a decoration onto a paper, covering the upper surface of the decorated paper with a transparent paper and its lower surface with one or more stacked support-papers. Then, the assembly with multiple thicknesses thus obtained is impregnated in a synthetic bath. Finally, the assembly is pressed at a high temperature and cut out, in order to be adhered onto the top surface of the ski.
The current state of decoration processes limits the possibilities for obtaining durable decorations that are sufficiently rich and distinguishable, and easily interchangeable, while remaining economical.